Page 27 of Forbidden Passion

Michelle studied her. “Of course. What’s going on?”

“Let’s talk about that later. Okay?”

Michelle hugged her. “All right. I’ll meet you in the lounge, and we’ll go to my house. Is that okay?”

Tessa nodded. “Should we pick up some wine on the way there?”

“If it’s okay, I’ll have Nicole pick some up and meet us at my house. Is it all right that she’s there?”

“Yes. That would be great. I need any advice I can get,” Tessa said.

Michelle squeezed her arm. “I’ll see you soon.”

Tessa nodded and walked the other way. The next few hours seemed to drag. She knew part of it was lack of sleep, but also how miserable she felt about the discord in her relationship. When Dominik woke her in the middle of the night and made love to her, she felt herself relax, but when she felt the same turmoil from him when they got up the next morning, she grew anxious.

The ride to the hospital that morning was mostly in silence. It helped a bit that he still held her hand and kissed her breathlessly when they got to her floor, but not enough to keep the worry that things had changed between them and that they might not be able to go back to what it was.

When the shift change came, Tessa collected her things and waited for Michelle.

“I’m sorry,” Michelle said as she hustled in.

“Don’t be. We had many patients today,” Tessa said.

Michelle pulled out her bag. “I’m having David walk us to my car. It’s just an extra precaution.”

“That’s fine.”

The three talked as they walked out to the parking lot. David, the security guard, waited until they left before heading back into the hospital.

They stopped at the light. “I asked Nicole to pick up Chinese and the wine.”

“That’s sounds good,” Tessa said. “I didn’t get any time for lunch.”

“Me either, and I’m starving.”

They pulled up to Michelle’s small house and walked in. After locking the door behind them, Michelle headed to the back of her house. “I’m going to change. I’ll be right back.”

“I brought a change of clothes, too.”

“Use the hallway bathroom, and I’ll meet you in the living room,” Michelle said.

Tessa quickly changed into old jeans and a t-shirt before she stuffed her work clothes into the bag, and then washed her face and hands.

When she got to the living room, Michelle set glasses and plates down on the low sofa table. Not five minutes later, there was a knock on the door.

Michelle looked out the window before opening it. Nicole rushed in with several bags.

Tessa grinned. “What in the world did you get?”

Nicole chuckled and set everything down on the table. “Besides a couple of bottles of wine and the Chinese, I stopped by Betty’s Bakery and got some brownies. We can’t have a girls’ night without chocolate.”

Tessa groaned. She hadn’t had them in a long time and was now salivating. The gooey fudge brownies were so good she could have eaten them every day.

The three sat around and consumed one bottle of wine with dinner. After they had eaten, they lounged around anddrank a second bottle of wine while picking at their brownies.

“Talk to us,” Michelle said.

Tessa thought she should probably stop drinking because her buzz was quickly becoming intoxication. But she couldn’t. She felt more relaxed than she had in a while. Most of it had to do with the wine, but being with her friends was always fun.

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